The LA Dodgers, who won 100 games in the Major League regular season this season, are likely to be eliminated from the postseason at the speed of light. Not only is the mound a problem, but there is also a problem with the batting lineup that rarely scores. In particular, the slump of former MVP duo Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman is serious.
The Dodgers lost 2-4 in the second game against the Arizona Diamondbacks of the 2023 Major League Baseball National League Division Series (NLDS) held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA on the 10th (Korean time). This brought us to the edge of a cliff. The division series is a best-of-five format. With two losses, just one more loss will ensure elimination from the postseason.
Looking at the first and second games, the early selection of starters was painful. Game 1 starter Clayton Kershaw suffered another fall baseball nightmare, allowing 6 runs in ⅓ innings. The team collapsed after giving up 6 runs in the first inning, and the Dodgers ended up losing 2-11.
The flow of the second round was similar. It was a harsh stage for rookie Bobby Miller. He hit a maximum speed of 100.6 miles (161.9 km), but was unable to overpower the Arizona batting line. They lost 2-4 after being defeated early by allowing 3 runs in 1⅔ innings. Elimination of the division series for two years in a row is clearly visible.
The early collapse of the starting lineup is considered the biggest cause, but baseball is a sport where you have to score points to win. The sluggishness of the batting line is also something to look at.무지개토토
The silence of the MVP players was painful. Betts won the American League MVP award while wearing a Boston uniform in the 2018 season. Freeman won the National League MVP award during his time in Atlanta in the 2020 season. And they met at the Dodgers and led the team to its 100th win.
However, his performance in fall baseball is not good. Betts and Freeman were table setters in both games 1 and 2 of the division series. In Game 1, Betts went 3-for-3 with 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and 1 run, while Freeman went 2-for-2 with 2 walks and 1 run. In Game 2, Betts had no hits in 4 at bats, and Freeman had 1 hit and 1 strikeout in 4 at bats. In particular, Freeman hit a painful double play in the second game, pouring cold water on the team atmosphere. It was a point where they were holding on without giving up any additional runs thanks to the bullpen’s excellent pitching, and when the batting lineup came back to life little by little and was about to chase, they hit a double play and bowed.
Juan Toribio, a Dodgers reporter for MLB.com, the official Major League website, pointed out on his social media, “Betts and Freeman recorded a combined 1 hit in 13 at-bats in two games.”
Betts reflected, “Freeman and I didn’t do our jobs. There is no excuse. We have to find a way.”